From Paris to Berlin

Back in November we booked a trip to Berlin and last weekend it was finally time to set off. 

Early Sunday morning we boarded our orange airbus and were Berlin-bound for a 4 day trip. On landing we made our way through the airport, negotiated the German ticket machine and were on our way to the train platform. After a small mishap involving me running back off the train to the platform to validate the ticket then back onto the train in record time, we were bound for the city centre. 

AlexanderPlatz and the Fernsehturm

We got off the train at Alexanderplatz which was a short walk from our hotel. We were greeted immediately by the huge iconic sight of the Fernsehturm (the TV tower) which stood high above the skyline on such a clear and sunny day. Below the TV tower is the Weltzeituhr (world time clock) which shows the time in every capital city in the world. After wheeling our suitcases to the best possible angle and taking a few photos we hurried in the cold to the hotel. 

Now shortly before this trip I realised my German stretched little further than 'mein hut der hat drei ecken' (thanks Dad). I therefore tried to master some useful German phrases before we went on our trip. However, despite having studied French and Spanish to degree level and therefore foolishly thinking I could master any language, I simply could not get my head around German and was somewhat relived when the receptionist spoke perfect English and I was saved from further embarrassment. 

Berliner Dom by night

Once checked in and having put on a few extra layers we headed back out to explore the area. We wandered through Alexanderplatz and down towards Museum Island past the beautiful Berliner Dom. After a long day we decided to head for some traditional German dinner. We ended up at Brauhaus Georgbraeu where our guidebook promised us authentic German food and atmosphere. Well, I'm not sure it gets more authentic than boiled pork knuckle, sauerkraut and red cabbage, served with a beer and a schnapps. Full of pork knuckle (in Sam's case; I went for the lesser intimidating Goulash) and Apple Strudel we headed back to the hotel. 

Memorial to the Jews

Day 2 started in a café for breakfast where again my poor German was spared by the Italian and Portuguese baristas. Once full of pastries and coffee we started our walk for the day. We were hoping to go up the TV tower on this morning but when we left the hotel we could only see the bottom of it, so didn't think the view would be too good! We instead started our morning walk at the Holocaust war memorial. The memorial itself is a collection of different sized concrete blocks arranged in maze-like rows which visitors are encouraged to find their own individual path through. On that morning the memorial had a covering of snow and the cold made the experience more sombre and sobering. A short walk from the memorial is the original site of Hitlers' bunker and the place where he took his own life, little commemorates this site except a small information sign. The memorial is well worth a visit, its vast size is overwhelming yet thought provoking.

From here we visited the Brandenburg Gate. I couldn't help but compare it to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in size and shape but today being one of the most important symbols of a unified Germany it really is quite the spectacle. We then walked, hurridly as it was now snowing, to the Reichstag; the original post unification redesigned government building of Germany with its famous glass domed roof. From here we walked towards Gendarmenmarkt a beautiful square which houses a Concert hall sandwiched between a German and a French Cathedral. It was also the point where my fingers and toes were completely numb and we made a wise decision to stop for coffee. After a caffeine fix we visited the DDR museum, which gave us an insight into what life was like in the East of Berlin before the reunification. I have to admit before our

Gendarmenmarkt

trip I knew very little about the History of Berlin and the Berlin wall so this museum was quite insightful. It struck me as strange to be visiting a museum about something that seemed so alien but was within our lifetimes. 

Thankfully by this time the clouds had cleared slightly and the top of the TV tower was visible so we took the opportunity to go up. We travelled 203 metres upwards in 'Europes fastest lift'* which unnervingly had a glass roof which the guide encouraged us to look up, I politely declined and kept my eyes firmly shut the entire way, Sam informed me it was a good view. Slightly dizzy and wobbly we admired the fantastic views across Berlin just as the sun was setting and the fog was beginning to roll in. 

After a quick rest and a well needed warm up back at the hotel we headed out for our evening meal. We went to a restaurant called 12 Apostel that is built under a railway bridge with church like decor and a beautifully painted roof. We decided to venture away from pork knuckle and towards the more favoured national dish of our Italian counterparts; pizza. The meal and the service didn't disappoint. Also the menu was mostly Italian, of which my pronunciation is marginally better than my German so great result all round. The temperature had really dropped and the pavements had become quite the ice rink while we were in the restaurant so reenacting a scene from Bambi we made our way back to the hotel.

We decided our second sightseeing day was to be 'Wall Day'. We spent the morning walking the old route of the wall through Berlin, starting at the well known 'Check-point Charlie'. Almost unrecognizable from 30 years ago, some of the original features of the crossing point were still in place. We spent time looking at the timeline of stories, photos and historical records from the end of World War Two through to the present day. To learn of how many people risked their life and indeed lost their lives at this exact point just because of a man made wall was quite humbling and sadly, in this political climate, quite relevant. 

Checkpoint Charlie

Berlin Wall

From here we walked along one of the longest sectors of the original wall and passed one of the first watch towers to Potsdamer Platz. Once a huge wasteland divided by the Berlin Wall, has since the reunification become the sight of major redevelopment but still has pieces of the wall outside of the main U-Bahn station as a lasting reminder of its history.

Burgermeister

We then took the U-Bahn into East Berlin and in search of what our lonely planet guide had promised as 'one of the best burgers in Berlin'. I can back up that claim, that not only did Burgermeister (housed in the old toilet of a U-bahn station) provide us with one of the best burgers in Berlin, but possibly one of the best burgers I'd ever eaten**!



All full of burger we walked over the river to the East Side Gallery, a 2km long section of the walk, decorated by commisioned art work following the reunification. The artwork is fantastic but what I found amazing about the experience was due to the sheer length of the section of wall, it felt almost oppresive to even stand at one side of it: giving a small insight into what life would have been like living in a city divided in so many ways. The photographs of the artwork cannot do it justice, so if you ever find yourself in Berlin it is well worth a visit.

We then enjoyed an evening of good food, great beer and reflection of what had been an educational and interesting trip to one of my now favourite capital cities.

Early the next morning, after the most disappointing airport breakfast, we were back orange air bus-bound to Angleterre. Now we left the hotel at 7am, wrapped up in about 5 layers as it was -1 degrees. When we landed in Manchester it was a tropical 7 degrees, we felt like we'd landed in Spain and quickly had to lose a few layers before driving back to Hullywood.

All in all a fantastic trip to a brilliant city.


*avid blog readers will remember the time I called the lift in Tour Montparnasse 'Europes' fastest lift', I am unsure which one is actually the fastest.

**this is quite the claim when you consider how many burgers I've eaten.

Honey I'm home.

I've been back in England a week and now Christmas and New Year celebrations are well and truly over and I've got an essay to write so I thought it was about time I wrote a bit of a reflective blog of the first half of my year abroad. 

It's strange now I'm home to think I've just come back from spending 3 months in Paris as I don't feel like I've been away! I am enjoying spending time with my family and taking the dog for long walks, as well as gravy based meals and Cadbury's chocolate. 

I've realised and learnt a lot of things about myself whilst I've been away. The first is how independent I have become, I always thought that this was an aspect of being away that I would struggle with, and don't get me wrong at times it felt like the loneliest place on earth but I enjoyed being by myself and being able to explore a completely new city. 
I also realised how much I enjoy writing, my blog started out as just a way to let people know what I was doing, but ended up being so much more. Before I had never really written for pleasure it had always being an essay written about something I was slightly interested in with specific guidelines, so this made a welcome change and I really enjoy doing it. Writing my blog has given me time to reflect on this experience and when I was feeling down or upset it reminded me what an amazing opportunity this was and prompted me to grab every minute of it. 

Now I'm home I do miss Paris and hostel life* but I am loving catching up with people in familiar surroundings. 

Next up the second part of my year abroad in Spain and hopefully an equally comically named blog! 

*it was so odd at times but in a weird kind of familiar way

Jingle Blogs

Today is my last day in Paris and I've had a very different but very lovely Christmas all the same.
Christmas eve consisted of me watching re-runs of the Royle family in bed and hiding from the rain before going to pick Michelle up from Gare du Nord and then returning to Gare du Nord to meet Olivia off her Eurostar later. 

We meandered through the rain to Notre Dame where we queued for a while, regretted opening Olivia's umberella shaped present before finally getting inside. The atmosphere was really Christmassy, so much so that I had to tell everyone around me just how Christmassy I felt. We spent an hour listening to the choir sing a 'mash up'* of carols and hymns before heading to get the last metro home.

We woke up on Christmas morning at quarter to 8, ridiculously excited for the day to begin. It appeared Santa had made his way to the hostel and we swapped presents and ate copious amounts of chocolate for breakfast. When the time came to start cooking** dinner, we took over the hostel kitchen in Christmas jumpers to prepare our festive English inspired feast. Words cannot describe how happy I was with mashed potato and gravy. After an hour or 2 of washing up and drinking wine I had to go to work. 

The majority of people staying in the hostel at the moment are backpackers who couldn't make it home for Christmas so whilst I was at work it was lovely to hear people skyping their families all over the world to wish them Merry Christmas and sharing their experiences. Some impromptu games of 'Who's in the bag' and 'heads up' took place during my shift in true Christmas style. All in all a very different but still very special day, and one I'm sure I will never forget.

I spent my last day in Paris, packing*** and going to see the tower and fighting through the crowds on the Champs-élysées for the last time before I left. 

I haven't completed everything on my bucket list, but this just gives me reason to come back to this wonderful city.

*choral technical term
**microwaving counts
***sacrificing things I didn't need to make room in my case

England, I'm coming at ya.

Christmas face

Presents :)

The aftermath

Christmas friends

Gravy.

Christmas table

Last day in Paris.

Simply blogging a wonderful Christmas time...

Hold onto your hats; this is a big one. 

So last Friday I had a ticket, for the right day I might add, to the 25 years of Pixar exhibition at a new museum that had recently opened by the Seine. After getting considerably lost and cold on the way I finally made it and it was worth the walk and the 14 euros entrance, it contained the story boards and original sketches from well known Pixar films and was interesting to see the differences of the names in English and French. Fun fact of the day, Mike from Monsters inc. is called Bob in the French version. 

Olivia's friend Katherine was here this weekend and on Sunday we went to the Shakespeare company bookshop which is amazing. There were literally books everywhere, balanced on every ledge and surface; the kind of place that if your Mum was around she would say 'don't touch anything, don't move, in fact let's not go in'. On finding the piano upstairs I had to have a little play but the shop was so quiet I didn't carry on for long. I would recommend it to booklovers to put on your 'places to visit' list as I've never seen anything quite like it. Another fun fact courtesy of Katherine; Bookshops are in decline in every country except France. I then had the greatest macaroon ever and we meandered around Paris. 

Sunset from the roof of La Fayette

Monday started off with a visit to Jardin de Luxombourg in the winter sunshine before heading to Gallerie Lafayette and Printemps, two huge department stores in Paris to do some Christmas shopping. Both department stores have amazing roof terraces and we were lucky enough to be able to watch the sunset over Paris from the top which was simply beautiful. We headed from here towards Opera to find somewhere to eat, we found a little brasserie where we were complemented on our French which is always nice and ordered snails. Now the best way I can describe the taste is it tastes like the smell of soil mixed with garlic, which isn't as bad as it sounds but still not the greatest thing I've ever tasted.
We then went for farewell drinks with Lorna who left Paris today for Christmas, was lovely to catch up as always, but kind of sad as this begins the long goodbye saga...

Tuesday was just as busy as Monday, we visited the Catacombs, which are underground tunnels where the bones of all the people buried in the cemetarys in Paris were deposited when they were ruled to close. It was pretty incredible the sheer amount of bones there and also kind of odd. 
After this we went Christmas shopping again because we didn't get enough of crowded shops and sweaty people in our faces the previous day, before heading for something to eat. Finally we went to the theatre to see My Fair Lady. I'm certain we were some of the only English people in the audiance, the musical was 'subtitled' in French, which was interesting in a geeky kind of way although I don't envy the person who's job it was to accurately translate cockney into French. It was a fantastic production and I really enjoyed it!

Tonight at work I decorated a Christmas tree; it's officially Noel à le d'Artagnan!
 9 more days here and I intend to enjoy every last minute in this fantastic city! 

Sunset over Paris

Remember that day we went up the tower...

Monday called for another meal out, this time with my fellow Northern and French studying pal Briony and her friend Fi, big shout out to you both, lunch was great, the wine was greater and the company was the greatest. I then went to Briony's nearly finished flat, got over emotional at a sofa and a glass of proper squash before heading back home. 

We then headed to Auchan on a Christmas tree buying mission. We accidentally stumbled upon the British section in the supermarket. Olivia proceeded to very excitedly shout about all the British food she had forgotten existed, much to the amusement of the rest of Auchan's clientele. It pretty much went downhill from here when we got far too excited in the decoration section and ran the risk of our room looking like Santa's grotto. However we now have a festive room and it's lovely, except the lights, which only have ones setting- flashing. 

I'd not had a pint in a while...

The flashing lights did add a shite-club'esque vibe to our predrinks on Monday night, we eventually made it out and to O'Sullivans, yep I'm doing a module in 'Irish drinking establishment's in Paris' studies as part of my year abroad and what. I paid 8,20 euros for a pint of strongbow, wept for a while then all this was forgotton as they played Mariah Carey 'All I want for Christmas is you' and all was right with the world. 

Once again our taxi experience was enhanced by the worlds greatest taxi driver- Mathieus. Now I should point out that although it may appear like it, it is not compulsory for French taxi drivers to tell you their name, Olivia tends to demand it from them in order that we can tell them all about every intricate detail of our lives in Paris. "Excusez-moi monsieur....taximan. Comment appelez-vous?"

We told him how our mission was to battle the British stereotype of being terrible at languages, ironically in probably the worst French he had ever heard. Mathieus, on behalf of Britain, I apologise. 

Before the dreadful revelation...

Hostel food simply wasn't an option yesterday, the only thing that would make me feel semi-normal again was a Mcdonalds. It hit the spot and then we headed towards Jardin de Luxembourg. We went the wrong way and never made it, this was just a sign of things to come. 

We then took the metro to the tower as we had tickets to go up, it was just the most perfect sunny day and we should have made it to the top just in time to see the sunset across the city. We visited another Jewish war memorial on the way, and took an unacceptable amount of edgy photos of everything Parisian before ambling towards the tower. Now I should point out how excited I was to be going up the tower, and having already bought tickets online we wouldn't even have to queue, so we practically skipped up to the woman on the gate tickets in hand, so ready for the adventure ahead. 

"Ces billets sont d'hier" 

Yes. Olivia had indeed bought tickets for Monday not yesterday. So we didn't make it up the tower. We did however manage to see the sunset from Trocadero overlooking the tower and the city so all was not lost. 

In terms of the bucket list, I've managed to remember a night out and keep my shoes, but the tower remains unvisited for now...

Did I mention I loved Paris...

My Parisian bucket list...

I've realised I'm more or less on the home straight, so to speak, now I have 19 days left in Paris and want to use them to their full potential to ensure I leave with a list of things I have done, rather than a list of regrets of things I haven't! So here's a short list I have compiled of things I want to do before I leave:

Number 1; Go up the Eiffel Tower.
Yes I've been here 3 months, and no I haven't yet actually gone up the tower. I am however, going up on Tuesday and I hope it doesn't disappoint, as avid blog readers will know, I am a big fan of Tour Montparnasse and I'd hate for the actual Tour to not live up to all of my expectations. 

Number 2; Go on a Parisian night out, actually remember it and return home with both shoes.
As much as I love a good night out with a beverage or two, I seem to be unable to remember much of them, hence this insert on the bucket list, but I'm not making any promises, wines pretty cheap.

Number 3; eat a snail, or frogs legs or something else stereotypically French.
I have been a massive fan of eating out but so far have managed to steer away from the frog-legged snail eating establishments, but I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if I spent half of my year abroad in France and didn't experience at least one of these highly priced 'delicacies'

Number 4; Watch the sunset from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.
I've wanted to do this ever since I first went up the Arc. It's easier now the sun sets at a more reasonable hour. Sorry about the photos that will probably be posted everywhere along with my comments about how beautiful the world is.

Number 5; Go to Bois de Boulogne.
This is another place I've wanted to visit for ages but have never really got round to. It's basically a forest on the other side of Paris, but I very much miss the countryside and thought it might make me feel almost home to be surrounded by trees.

Number 6; Visit the Pixar exhibition.
I got ridiculously excited when I saw that this new exhibition had opened. I'm not usually a fan of art, but when it's Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Ratatouille I'm prepared to queue down the rue.

Number 7; Visit the 'Regards sur les ghettos' exhibition at the Shoah Memorial.
After hearing about this I've wanted to go and see it for ages. I am a huge fan of photo exhibitions and this one is of photos taken inside of the ghettos in which the Jewish community found themselves in Nazi dominated areas, something which you may have gathered from previous blogs really interests me, I think it's important that exhibitions like this exist for people to not just remember what happened but I find photos make something like that seem so much more real and allows us to relate more. http://regards-ghettos.memorialdelashoah.org/teaser.html

Number 8; Learn to like coffee.
This might not be achievable in 19 days but I really want to like coffee. I don't think I've disliked something but wanted to like it more, drinking a cup of coffee has such a sophisticated edge to it. The standard work conversation usually goes 'Tu veut un café?' 'bohhff...chocolat chaud s'il tu plait'. 
I'm not in the coffee drinking club, but it looks like a fun place to be from where I'm sat, on the outside, looking in with my hot chocolate. 

Number 9; Buy some tacky Parisian shit.
The shops are everywhere, and I think all my wonderful family and friends deserve some tack to clutter up their lives with. No, no, I insist and you're very welcome.

Number 10; Go back to Franglish!
I blogged about Franglish in like my second week here, and I'm yet to go back, not for not wanting but because I work evenings and then fill up my evenings off with wine etc. But I really want to go back before I leave not only is it really good for my French, you get a free drink, which is hard to come by in Paris!

Number 11; Purchase a Christmas tree.
Our room looks very unfestive. This needs to change. 

Number 12; Go swimming. 
I bought a swimming costume in my 2nd week here as I live pretty near a nice pool. It's still got the tag on, need to give it at least one outing before I leave!

Number 13; Visit the Shakespeare bookstore.
I love bookshops, this ones named after the most famous writer in British history, I kind of owe it to him to pay it a visit.

Number 14; Introduce the French to mince pies.
They're missing out and they don't even realise. I'm here to help.

Number 15; Eat a macaroon.
I love macaroons and they're everywhere, why have I not eaten one yet?!

That about completes my bucket list but if you want to submit any wild suggestions for my remaining time here go for it, I'm all ears*.

*I hate that phrase, sorry. I'm not, at most I'm 7% ears.

Happy Sunday!

Here's a bucket to illustrate.

Counting down to Christmas...

I love Christmas. I think being away has made me realise that Christmas to me is not just a day, it's a warm feeling, a time to spend with family and friends and eat copious amounts of food without feeling guilty.

It's the build up to Christmas, the first time you feel Christmassy and have to tell everyone 'I feel festive, do you feel festive?, isn't everything so Christmassy?' the moment when you find the perfect gift for someone and the look on their face when they rip open the paper, the first time you hear your favourite Christmas song that you'd forgotten about for the rest of the year.  For me it's the silly traditions we have in our family that even though we grow a year older each year, will still stay the same. The misheard lyrics 'keep drinking beer Mary' and 'Stop the camel', the 'remember the Christmas when' stories and sharing these stories with others, knowing that no family's Christmas is the same but they're all so special. 

Of course the food. Eating until your trousers no longer fit, then having to take an afternoon nap to be able to fit in more. How the first bite of a mince pie brings memories flooding back from previous years yet you still aren't sure whether you 100% like them, and the smell of turkey, stuffing and mulled wine is one only associated with Christmas. 

Although I'm sad I won't be at home this Christmas day, and things will be a little different to what they have been for the past 19 years, I know that it will still be special, because there's just something about the day that makes it special. Who could not embrace being in Paris on Christmas day?

As I open each door on my advent calendar, I do feel a little bit closer to Christmas and to coming home, and this is a reminder to enjoy every minute I've got left here. I shall endevor to embrace a French Christmas as well as keeping some of my home comforts that the day just wouldn't be right without, with the help of M&S. Although I'm not sure the carol service at Notre Dame will compete with Netherton Carol Service!

I like to think that Christmas brings with it a feeling and wherever you are, you will still get the feeling.

Hope you're all enjoying the Festive season wherever you are!
Always makes me smile...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83tRxjPj5bo